Homemade Sourdough bagels are so much better than the ones you buy at the grocery store. They are chewy and soft, and go perfectly with cream cheese or butter and jam. The best part about this recipe is that it is so simple a beginner can perfect it.
Over the years I have formed the habit of not buying any bread products from the store. They tend to be full of lots of unnecessary ingredients and never taste as good as I hope. That why I make my own donuts, English muffins, and of course sandwich bread. And you know what I realized? I really missed eating bagels! And lucky for all of us, they are actually easy to make at home AND taste way better than store bought.
Cook Book
Sourdough Bagel Ingredients
Baking sourdough bagels at home is a great idea because you know exactly what’s in them. You don’t need any extras for this recipe. It’s a simple list of things you already have in your pantry, and just make sure to have an active starter for best results!
- Sourdough Starter: They will turn out best if you use active starter. Make sure to feed your starter around 6 hours before you plan on making this recipe.
- Water: Warm
- Honey: For sweetness and helping the dough ferment. You can also use maple syrup, sugar, or whatever you feel like! It should work with any type of sweetener.
- Salt
- Flour: I used all purpose flour in this recipe.
- Brown Sugar: For adding to the water to boil the bagels in. This helps the outside brown and get chewy.
- Baking Soda: For the water to boil the bagels in. This helps the bagels cook properly and rise well.
Sourdough Bagel Recipe
Making sourdough bagels was so fun! If you watched my video tutorial of how to make them, then you know I accidentally forgot about the dough during the proofing stage and they got way too fluffy. It actually didn’t affect the flavor as much as I thought it would, but the holes did close up. If you keep track of your dough I’m positive they will turn out perfectly!
1. Mix: In a large bowl, add your starter and water and stir until the starter has dissolved. Then add honey and stir until dissolved. Now add salt and 2 C flour and mix until incorporated. Next, add 1 C of flour and with your hands, squeeze the flour until it is incorporated.
2. Knead: Remove the dough from your bowl and place it on a clean counter top. Add your remaining 1 C of flour, and knead your dough until all of the flour is incorporated. You can wet your hands occasionally to help your dough take in all of the flour.
3. Rise: In a clean large bowl, put the dough in the bowl and let it rise on your countertop covered for at least 8 hours or over night.
4. Shape: Remove your dough from the bowl. Shape your dough into a long log. Mark 8 pieces out, and then cut them with a knife or bench scraper. Roll and form it into a tight ball and place it to the side. Do the same thing to all other pieces.
5. Form Bagel: Flatten your dough out a little with your palm. Then poke a hole in the center of the dough. Using your two index fingers, place them inside the hole and roll your dough in a circular motion to create a nice even hole in the center of the bagel. Do the same for all other pieces. Place all of the bagel dough on a pan covered in parchment. Then cover them with a wet tea towel and let them rise for 1-4 hours, until nearly doubled in size.
6. Boil: Fill a large pot with water and place it on the stove on high heat. At this time you can also preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Gather your desired toppings like cheese and sesame seeds and have them ready nearby. Once your water is boiling, add brown sugar and baking soda to the water. Using a slotted spoon, dunk your bagel in the water. Only boil 2-3 at a time. Boil on each side for 30 seconds. As soon as you remove them from the water, dip them in their toppings and then place them on the same baking sheet you used earlier. Do this with all 8 bagels.
7. Bake: Bake your bagels in the oven at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!
Sourdough Bagels
Ingredients
- 3/4 Cup Sourdough Starter
- 1 Cup Water Warm
- 2 Tbs Honey or Maple Syrup
- 2 tsp Salt
- 4 Cups Flour Total
- 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Baking Soda
Instructions
- Mix: In a large bowl, add your starter and water and stir until the starter has dissolved. Then add honey and stir until dissolved. Now add salt and 2 C flour and mix until incorporated. Next, add 1 C of flour and with your hands, squeeze the flour until it is incorporated.
- Knead: Remove the dough from your bowl and place it on a clean counter top. Add your remaining 1 C of flour, and knead your dough until all of the flour is incorporated. You can wet your hands occasionally to help your dough take in all of the flour.
- Rise: In a clean large bowl, put the dough in the bowl and let it rise on your countertop covered for at least 8 hours or over night.
- Shape: Remove your dough from the bowl. Shape your dough into a long log. Mark 8 pieces out, and then cut them with a knife or bench scraper. Roll and form it into a tight ball and place it to the side. Do the same thing to all other pieces.
- Form Bagel: Flatten your dough out a little with your palm. Then poke a hole in the center of the dough. Using your two index fingers, place them inside the hole and roll your dough in a circular motion to create a nice even hole in the center of the bagel. Do the same for all other pieces. Place all of the bagel dough on a pan covered in parchment. Then cover them with a wet tea towel and let them rise for 1-4 hours, until nearly doubled in size.
- Boil: Fill a large pot with water and place it on the stove on high heat. At this time you can also preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Gather your desired toppings like cheese and sesame seeds and have them ready nearby. Once your water is boiling, add brown sugar and baking soda to the water. Using a slotted spoon, dunk your bagel in the water. Only boil 2-3 at a time. Boil on each side for 30 seconds. As soon as you remove them from the water, dip them in their toppings and then place them on the same baking sheet you used earlier. Do this with all 8 bagels.
- Bake: Bake your bagels in the oven at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!
